Wallabies flanker David Pocock has extended his contract to 2015 and is a strong candidate to captain Australia at the World Cup in England.

Acting ARU chief executive Matt Carroll announced on Friday that Pocock had agreed to terms until the end of 2015. The 24-year-old has already led the Wallabies this season, and it is likely that he will take on a leadership role at his new franchise, the Brumbies, in 2013.

‘We are very pleased to be able to have David available for the Wallabies not only for next year’s Lions Tour, but the next Rugby Championship series and quite possibly the next Rugby World Cup in London in 2015,’ said Carroll.

The Wallabies and Pocock enjoyed mixed success in 2012. They began poorly with a shock loss to Scotland in Newcastle, before going on to beat Wales 3-0 in the June Test series.

Pocock’s season was interrupted when he sustained a serious knee injury in a Rugby Championship match against the All Blacks. The influential openside did, however, recover to play in the final match of the season in Cardiff. The Wallabies beat Wales 14-12.